00:00I'm in Riyadh and I spent part of the morning at the embassy getting briefed by our whole team
00:04here on the war with Iran, the Saudi conflict in Yemen. But I also got the chance to see some
00:13significant damage that was done to our embassy here by two Iranian drones. In the middle of the
00:19night, early in the conflict, the Iranians hit our embassy here. It hasn't gotten a lot of attention,
00:24but I saw the damage and it is extensive. It happened in the middle of the night, but had those
00:30attacks happened during the workday, this would have likely been a mass casualty event. There would
00:36have been many Americans dead. And it's just a reminder of how fundamentally unprepared Donald
00:43Trump and his administration were for this war, how unprotected they left our diplomats and our
00:48military personnel. We really don't have a sense yet, a clear sense as to the scope of the casualties
00:55the administration has hidden from view, the full cost of the damage done to U.S. facilities, but also
01:01has been slow walking information about the number of people wounded. It's just important to realize
01:08that for as long as this war persists, all of our people here in the region, we have thousands of
01:14Americans on the diplomatic and military side here in the region are at grave risk.
01:25Aerial target shot down over Iran's Kashm Island. Iranian air defenses have reportedly engaged an aerial
01:35target over the strategically important Kashm Island, with reports pointing to a possible reconnaissance drone.
01:46The incident was reported on October 3rd, with residents describing explosion sounds and missile activity over the island.
01:55Videos circulating online appeared to show launch smoke, missile trails, explosions and debris falling onto Kashm Island.
02:05According to multiple open source reports, Iranian forces may have used the Kordad-15 air defense system, firing a Sayad
02:16-3 or Sayad-3E surface-to-air missile.
02:20The Sayad-3 is an Iranian-made radar-guided interceptor designed to engage aerial threats including aircraft, drones and cruise
02:31missiles.
02:31Some reports have suggested the missile could have come from a Bavar-373 system and identified it as a Sayad
02:40-4, but the Kordad-15 and Sayad-3 identification appears more consistently across available open source reporting.
02:52The target itself has been described as a small, unidentified reconnaissance UAV.
03:00Importantly, there is no confirmed evidence that the target was a US MQ-9 Reaper or another large combat drone.
03:09Some social media posts have speculated about a possible connection to the United Arab Emirates, while other reports have mentioned
03:18US fighter activity in the area.
03:21However, the origin and identity of the aerial target remain unconfirmed.
03:26Reports also said part of the interceptor fell back on Kashm Island, with debris reportedly found near Muhadasa High School.
03:37There have been no confirmed casualties or major ground damage from the incident.
03:43Kashm Island is strategically located near the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most important energy shipping choke points.
03:52Iran has repeatedly reported air defense activity around Kashm Island and the Strait of Hormuz, including previous claims of intercepting
04:02drones and other aerial targets.
04:04But many of those earlier claims have also lacked independent verification.
04:10For this latest incident, the available evidence primarily comes from open source intelligence accounts, local reports, and videos circulating on
04:20social media.
04:21Iranian state media outlets, including IRNA and Meher, had not formally confirmed this specific interception in the available reporting at
04:33the time of the latest updates.
04:35There has also been no independent confirmation from the United States or another party that an aircraft or drone was
04:43lost.
04:44So, while footage and local reports indicate that an air defense engagement occurred over Kashm Island, exactly what Iran targeted
04:54and whether the aerial target was actually destroyed remains unconfirmed.
04:59The incident, nevertheless, highlights the continuing military tension around Kashm Island and the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.
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